The present invention relates to a spool support apparatus and a method of use of the same
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,810 (Stadig) discloses a portable turntable style of wire or cable dispensing apparatus that rotates about a substantially vertical axis. This type of apparatus is an alternative to a reel style of dispensing apparatus that rotate about a substantially horizontal axis.
Heavy gauge cable comes on spools. Depending upon the gauge of cable, a spool containing 300 meters of cable may weigh 800 kilograms or more. Even if the dispensing apparatus of Stadig was substantially increased in size, it would not be practical to transfer that quantity and weight of cable from the manufacturer""s spool to the dispensing apparatus.
What is required is a spool support apparatus and method of use of the same that is better suited for heavy gauge cable.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a spool support apparatus which includes a first plate and a second plate rotatably mounted to the first plate for rotation about a rotational axis. A bearing disposed is between the first plate and the second plate, thereby facilitating relative rotation of the first plate and the second plate when under load. Means is provided for mounting a spool onto one of the first plate or the second plate.
The spool support apparatus, as described above, when secured to a spool turns the spool into a turntable dispensing apparatus. For small spools the means for mounting a spool onto one of the first plate or the second plate is a spindle affixed to the rotational axis of one of the first plate or the second plate. For larger spools, the means for mounting a spool onto one of the first plate or the second plate is by having threaded fasteners pass through openings in one of the first plate or the second plate and penetrate a flanged end of the spool.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of use of a spool support apparatus. A first step involves providing a spool having opposed ends with peripheral coil retaining flanges and a rotational axis extending between the opposed ends. A second step involves providing a spool support apparatus as previously described. A third step involves securing the first plate to one of the opposed ends of the spool with the rotational axis of the spool support apparatus substantially axially aligned with the rotational axis of the spool. The first plate is secured using threaded fasteners that have heads and bodies. The heads engage the first plate and the bodies extend through the fastener receiving openings to penetrate the spool. A fourth step involves tipping the spool so that the spool support apparatus underlies and rotatably supports the spool.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a spool and spool support apparatus combination, as will hereinafter be further described.